The mechanical properties of cells and tissues help determine their architecture,
composition and function. Alterations to these properties are associated with many diseases …

The cornea, as a dynamic and responsive tissue, constantly interacts with mechanical forces
in order to maintain its structural integrity, barrier function, transparency and refractive …

Nowadays, it is an established concept that the capability to reach a specialised cell identity
via differentiation, as in the case of multi-and pluripotent stem cells, is not only determined …

Biosensors are aimed at detecting tiny physical and chemical stimuli in biological systems.
Physical forces are ubiquitous, being implied in all cellular processes, including cell …

The glycocalyx is a brush-like layer that covers the surfaces of the membranes of most cell
types. It consists of a mixture of carbohydrates, mainly glycoproteins and proteoglycans. Due …

Cell segregation caused by collective cell migration (CCM) is crucial for morphogenesis,
functional development of tissue parts, and is an important aspect in other diseases such as …

The extracellular matrix is an organized three-dimensional network of protein-based
molecules and other macromolecules that provide structural and biochemical support to …

Under macromolecular crowding (MC) conditions such as cellular, extracellular, food and
other environments of biotechnological interest, the thermodynamic activity of the different …

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is successfully used for the quantitative investigation of the
cellular mechanosensing of the microenvironment. To this purpose, several force …

Astrocytes' organisation affects the functioning and the fine morphology of the brain, both in
physiological and pathological contexts. Although many aspects of their role have been …